


The 5 Times Freed said “We Love You”, and the 1 Time He said “I Love You”

by abittersweetlullaby



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Soft Ending, blink and you miss it gajevy one-liner, but he's working on it (the latter), canon-compliant but with some liberties taken, discussion about chronic illness, ivan's an asshole and freed will say it, laxus cusses a lot and has anger issues, unhealthy thoughts about alcohol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:48:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25313353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abittersweetlullaby/pseuds/abittersweetlullaby
Summary: Alternate title: It’s the Royal “We”(5+1 style fic) Freed isn’t shy about expressing how much the Thunder Legion loves Laxus. But the simplest of words can hide an overwhelming but unspoken truth.Spoilers for the end of the Tartaros arc.
Relationships: Laxus Dreyar/Freed Justine
Kudos: 86





	The 5 Times Freed said “We Love You”, and the 1 Time He said “I Love You”

(1)

Laxus had approached Freed with his plan to become guild master of Fairy Tail before discussing it with Evergreen and Bickslow.

As he explained the grandiose details--the lightning lacrima, the fighting tournament, the showdown at the cathedral--Freed felt the color drain from his face. Was Laxus seriously suggesting a coup against the guild that had been their home?

The rune mage thought about speaking up, and telling Laxus he was crazy for even thinking of this plan. How could he expect the Thunder Legion to stand by him as he spurred their comrades into fighting each other? Was this the only way to ensure the Master named Laxus as his imminent successor? 

“Laxus this is--” 

Freed wasn’t sure where to begin, so he was almost grateful for Laxus’ interruption in the form of a firm hand on his left shoulder. “What’s with the hesitation? I’ve never seen you so tongue-tied,” 

The green-haired man could feel Laxus’ breath as the elder leaned over him. “You scared, Freed the Dark?” 

Freed took a step back at the familiar epithet, shrugging Laxus’ hand off. “I’m not,” he retorted defensively. 

Laxus smirked, and despite saying otherwise, Freed felt a shudder run down his back. This was the look Laxus had on his face in battle as he obliterated his enemies. 

“Good. This isn’t just revenge against the old man for refusing to acknowledge me as a leader,” Laxus continued. “I’ve seen the way you, Ever and Bicks were ostracized by the others in the guild, how you were feared because of your power, and what you have to do to placate those spineless fools we call guildmates” He brushed the strands of Freed’s hair that covered his demonic eye for emphasis. “In my Fairy Tail, the weak will be eliminated, and the strong will get the respect that they deserve,” 

Freed was desperate to believe that was true. That this horrific plan was rooted in Laxus’ consideration for the Thunder Legion and others like them. That Laxus was still capable of love for his teammates, and this wasn’t just some sick power trip.

“But, if the Thunder Legion is too spineless to join me in fighting for this future, then so be it,”

Laxus’s hand returned to his side. “It’s your choice to make,”

Freed bristled. What kind of ultimatum was that? This wasn’t Freed’s decision to make alone. He, Bickslow and Evergreen had decided together to become the Thunder Legion. Together, they built themselves an identity as Laxus’s bodyguards and took pride in their purpose. They trained together to become more powerful and to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies. 

When the three orphans felt adrift in the guild because no one could look them in the eye, Laxus was their homing beacon, the one person who never showed them fear. Laxus had found them and given them a reason for facing each day. Gave them something to fight for. Trusted them to fight by his side. 

How could he be the one to throw it all away? 

They had built their lives on being loyal, powerful and useful. Freed couldn’t forgive himself if they were tossed aside by Laxus and left to the pity and scorn of the guild. 

He resolved to bury his hesitations deep, deep, deep within himself, and walk alongside Laxus on the path he had chosen. He knew the others would feel the same. Even if this path led to hell.

“I’ll speak to them,” Freed spoke at last. “I’m sure they’ll agree to help you. We do love you after all,”

Freed heard the words he was saying, but his voice, devoid of all emotion, sounded foreign to his own ears. His declaration of love had a cutting edge of cynicism. 

If Laxus noticed this, he said nothing, but wrapped his fur coat tighter around his shoulders.

“Good. I’ll give you the time to talk it over with them and begin setting up the runes,”

Laxus left Freed alone to tame the maelstrom of his thoughts.

(2)

Freed couldn’t believe what they had done, what the Thunder Legion had enabled. His heart stung with the guilt of having witnessed and facilitated the suffering of so many of his guildmates. And while it hurt to see Laxus here, exiled and prepared to walk away from Magnolia, he knew this was the way it had to be. 

Evergreen and Bickslow were crying and protesting the Master’s decision, but Freed stood resolute, knowing he had to be the strong pillar that they could lean upon. 

Laxus gave Evergreen and Bickslow hugs as they bawled and said their goodbyes, but hesitated as he drew near Freed. He knew there was still so much for him to say, so much that he needed to apologize for. The rune mage had been the one who made him confront the truth of his own heart, the knowledge that he could never truly hurt the Fairy Tail members, no matter how “weak” they were.

“Freed, I-uh-I’m sorry-“

Laxus struggled for the words to say, but Freed cut him off, enveloping the elder in a hug. Laxus was caught off guard, but wrapped his arms around the smaller mage and held him just as tightly. 

“We’ll always love you, Laxus,” Freed whispered in his ear, believing in that truth with all his heart, despite his anger and frustration. “Even when you’ve lost your way,”

Laxus felt teardrops prick at his eyes. Freed had every right to tell him to fuck off, berate him for betraying the Thunder Legion’s loyalty, and say that their friendship was over. Yet the rune mage was offering him nothing but unconditional love, and the opportunity for forgiveness. 

_ Maybe one day I’ll deserve that love, _ Laxus thought as he pulled away and composed himself. 

And with those goodbyes, he turned away and faced an uncertain world. 

Unshed tears glistened on Freed’s face as he told his comrades. “I know we’ll all meet again someday,”

(3)

When the Thunder Legion saw Laxus at Tenrou Island, they couldn’t contain their excitement. It was the first time they had all been in the same place since Laxus’s banishment. Sobbing, Freed, Evergreen and Bickslow converged on Laxus.

“Ouch, hey, calm down, geesh,” Laxus sounded annoyed, but the small smile at his lips belied his true feelings. “Did you guys really miss me that much?” he asked, slightly incredulous. 

“Of course we did!” Freed shouted as he cried, overwhelmed by joy. “We love you!” 

Evergreen and Bickslow vocalized their own happiness, and Laxus laughed. Flashy displays from Evergreen and Bickslow he expected, but he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Freed so open and free with his emotions in front of the others. 

The lightning dragon slayer hadn’t realized how much he missed all of them until they were all here in the flesh. It took him until this point to see how much they all depended on each other. 

“Ya ya, of course you do. I’m the Thunder in the Thunder Legion, after all,” Laxus boasted good-naturedly, looking both ways before admitting, with a flushed face. “I love you guys too,” 

He wasn’t quite sure why he looked at Freed as he said it. 

Probably because he still felt guilty, and knew it was Freed’s trust he needed to earn back first.

(4)

“Fuck, I still can’t believe it’s been 7 years,”

Laxus stood shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the Thunder Legion as they stood outside the guildhall, facing Magnolia.

“What are we gonna do?” Bickslow asked the wind. His companions sure didn’t have the answer, so they ignored him. 

“Where are you going to stay?” Freed directed to Laxus.

Laxus held his tongue. He wasn’t sure he could swallow his pride and ask Makarov to find him somewhere to live, and he didn’t fancy staying in an inn indefinitely while looking for a place. 

All he knew for sure was that he wanted to stay in Magnolia for the long haul. If what had happened on Tenrou Island taught him anything, it was that he was tired of staying away from the people he cared about when nobody knew what tomorrow had in store. “I don’t know,” he admitted. 

Bickslow wrapped an arm around Laxus’s shoulders. “Then you’ll stay with us. No ifs ands or buts,”

“Yeah,” Evergreen continued, “You basically lived in our spare room in between missions anyway. All of your old stuff is in there” 

They began to chatter about the various misadventures they had had when people stayed in the room for the night after Laxus’ exile and were scandalized that it was basically a “shrine to Laxus” and accused them of being in a “strange lightning-based cult”, but one voice was suspiciously missing. 

“You’ve been holding your tongue Cap’n,” The Seith mage stuck out his tongue at Freed. “You got anything to add?”

“I’ve no problem with Laxus living with us,” Freed said blankly, clearly not having kept up with the more absurd turns of the conversation, “I’m just worried about even getting into the house,” Freed furrowed his eyebrows. “I left some pretty heavy duty protection runes around it before we left,” 

That was like Freed, thinking 3 turns in advance, Laxus thought. 

Laxus ruffled Freed’s hair, and the rune mage looked up, a little shocked by the intimacy of the action.

“You’re gonna figure it out. You’re the smartest person I know,” 

“Hell yeah he is,” 

“Aye aye Captain!”

Evergreen and Bickslow both chimed in. 

Freed laughed. “I hope you all remember that when the runes try to electrocute us,” 

“I dunno, that sounds delicious to me,”

It was nice-- being able to be this casual around each other, teasing and laughing, without the threat of the end of the world to tear them apart. Laxus wondered why he didn’t realize what he had sooner. 

Together they all walked to the house, and despite his trepidation, Freed easily disarmed the protection runes. 

As Evergreen and Bickslow ran to check on their rooms, Freed took it upon himself to set Laxus up in the spare room that had basically been his anyway.

Everything was covered in a layer of dust, but it was still the way he had left it before heading out on his exile. The picture of him and his grandfather as a child at the desk that he couldn’t bring himself to throw out but couldn’t bear keeping on the road, the bedsheets with lightning bolt print that he pretended the Thunder Legion bought for him, and the painting of the whole team that Evergreen had asked Reedus to paint. Laxus felt emotional.

“It’s not much, but it’s yours as long as you need it,” Freed spoke from his place in the doorway. 

Laxus turned around, “Thank you guys, really,” He was embarrassed about how emotional he felt, as Freed conjured up a container of some cleaning equipment to begin dusting the room. Laxus knew he could write some runes to do the task, but preferred the satisfaction of cleaning by hand. What a weirdo. 

“It’s the least we can do. What I said before still applies,” Freed averted his face so Laxus couldn’t see his blushing as he continued. “We love you, and will always do our best to help you out,”

The lightning dragon slayer rolled up his sleeves. 

“Then you better be prepared for me to help ya right back,”

Freed rolled his eyes. “That doesn’t make grammatical sense. But there’s a second duster in there if you’re serious about lending a hand. We have a lot to do,”

Laxus had spent a lot of time reflecting during his exile. He thought about the life he had lived, and the life that he wanted to live. 

For so long, the lightning dragon slayer had thought the only place he was remotely happy was on the battlefield, where he could exert his awesome strength and obliterate anyone who dared to talk back to him. 

But here he was--fucking dusting his room with his best friend, and he felt more at peace with himself than he had in a long time.

“What are you daydreaming about?” Freed asked with a smile on his face, and it was the type of smile that the blond hoped he’d never forget.

(5)

Laxus had been in a sour mood ever since his fight with his father and the rest of Raven Tail.

After he had been announced the winner and that Raven Tail would both be arrested and subsequently disqualified, he stormed off the field, past his cheering teammates, and locked himself in the Fairy Tail Team B Hotel Room. 

It made him especially angry though to see the stuff of his teammates strewn across the room. Gramps had rejected his request for first his own hotel room, and then a hotel room with just himself and the Thunder Legion, insisting that he needed to be a good sport and “participate in team bonding”. 

Laxus rolled his eyes. He wasn’t sure how the old man expected them to bond when Jellal spent his entire time skulking about for Zeref, Gajeel made stupid mooning eyes at Levy, Juvia kept crying over Gray ignoring her, and Mira still kept her emotional distance due to his well-storied past of being a massive dick.

The only person he had a shot with bonding with was their reserve--Cana, and that was only because he was in the mood to get absolutely wasted. Maybe he could wash down all the complicated feelings that fighting his father had made him feel with alcohol. 

Laxus was ready to commit himself to this plan--if only to say “Hey gramps, guess who’s doing ‘team bonding’ after all”--when he heard a knock on the door.

He could recognize that scent anywhere.

Freed.

“Can I come in?” The rune mage asked.

If it was anyone else, Laxus would have told them to fuck off and go straight to hell. But Freed wasn’t just anyone.

“Sure,”

Freed opened the door, and his nose twitched in distaste at the disarray of the room. But he said nothing aloud as he walked towards Laxus, and the blonde moved to make space on his bed for his friend to sit.

“Thank you,”

Freed and Laxus quietly sat next to each other, mostly because Laxus didn’t really know what to say in these types of situations. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Freed finally broke the silence. “I know I still can’t believe what happened,”

“I’m not surprised. Ivan’s always been an asshole,” 

It felt powerful to call his father by his real name, as if the act of doing so meant showing that they were equals. As if his father had no control over him anymore. (Though he knew that was a lie). 

“Still,” Freed said, impossibly soft. “You have every right to be upset,”

“You think I don’t fucking know that? After he tried to kill me?” Laxus lashed out, magic power flaring around him, but realized he fucked up when he saw fear flash through Freed’s eyes. With his dragon senses, he saw the green-haired man scoot unconsciously backwards from him, right hand brushing the hilt of his sword. 

It broke his heart.

He didn’t want to see that look on Freed’s face, let alone be the cause of it.

“Shit I’m sorry—” He didn’t know what to do, how to make this better, but he’d be damned if he didn’t try. “You mean well, just… my dad, what he did to me and the guild-- it’s a complicated subject. I don’t wanna talk about it right now,” Laxus looked at his hands. “It makes me so fucking angry, I don’t know what to do with myself,”

“It’s okay if you’re not ready to talk about it yet,” Freed said. “But talking about it someday might bring you some peace,” he tentatively reached out a hand to put on Laxus’ shoulder, but it hovered over its intended destination. “The last thing those who love you want is for you to get swallowed up by that anger” 

“The ones who love me,” Laxus echoed. He guided Freed’s hand to his shoulder, placing his own on top of it. It was cooler than his body, which was still warm from the exertion of the fight.. 

“Like me...Bickslow and Evergreen,” Freed squeezed Laxus’ shoulder. “We love you so much. And we’ll always be here for you, unlike your asshole of a father.”

“It always sounds so wrong to hear you swear,” The dragon slayer laughed. Freed didn’t cuss often, usually only when they were alone and he was particularly enraged about something, or wanted to cheer his teammate up. It felt like a secret that the two of them shared, that no one else was allowed to be privy to. And it made Laxus feel validated to hear the hatred that Freed shared for the man who raised him. 

Laxus removed his hand from its place on top of Freed’s, and in response Freed took his hand back quickly and twined his fingers together in contemplation. The blond felt himself longing for the touch, but knew he had taken up enough of Freed’s time. 

“You can go back to the Games, y’know, I just need some separation from it all,”

Freed shook his head. “I’m just a bystander.” Laxus knew Freed well enough to hear the sad edge in his voice about the fact he wasn’t chosen for either of the teams, though he doubted Freed would ever directly question his old man’s decision. “I’d rather be here with you. If that’s okay,”

“Yeah, it’s okay,”

“I could fetch Bickslow and Evergreen though, if you wanted to hang out all together,” Freed suggested.

Something inside Laxus vehemently protested the idea. He didn’t want to be with the “Thunder Legion” and their raucous energy right now. He just wanted the calm accepting presence of Freed. 

“Nawh, I’m not in the mood for anything flashy. But we should probably do  _ something _ soon,” He quickly changed the subject, “I’m not sure how longer you can handle being in this room,”

Freed’s face twitched again before he finally snapped. 

“I wasn’t going to say anything but--would it really inconvenience Gajeel to fold his clothing instead of throwing it on the floor? And I expected better from Juvia. I can’t believe she left her boots on the bed. And why is everything still in Jellal’s suitcase and not in one of the drawers?”

Laxus couldn’t resist laughing as he had to physically restrain Freed from attempting to tidy the room. “You can’t mess with their shit. They won’t be happy about it,”

Freed pouted. “I know, I know,”

“So how about we take a walk or something?”

There was that smile again on Freed’s face, and Laxus didn’t feel the urge to drink himself to oblivion when he could feel drunk with a single look.

Oh Gods, that was cheesy. Luckily Freed couldn’t read thoughts. He’d never live it down otherwise.

“Sounds good to me,”

(1)

Peace never could last long in their line of work.

Fairy Tail was thrust into a war of humans and demons, and Laxus had been one of the ones who had suffered the most.

For as long as he lived, Freed would never forget seeing the strongest man he knew collapsing into his arms, after breathing in poison to keep his friends, and a whole damn city, safe. 

Freed wouldn’t be able to forget not being able to do anything for Laxus, but languish in his own hospital bed, cursing himself for not being stronger.

Those were experiences that changed you.

\--

(Freed was a voracious reader. He knew about the physiology of bane particles, and how they ravaged the body. He had hoped against hope that Laxus would recover fully, but knew in his heart that it wouldn’t be that easy when he had taken such a copious amount into his lungs and circulatory system. 

So when Porlyusica pulled him aside to talk about Laxus’s condition, Freed knew what to expect.)

\--

When Evergreen and Bickslow had left the infirmary to meet up with others in the guild, Freed stayed behind to talk to Laxus.

He went straight to the point. 

“When are you planning on telling them that you’re still sick?”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about” the lightning mage replied hotly, clearly caught off guard. 

“Don’t lie to me,” Freed growled, feeling his anger flare up. “Porlyusica told me everything,”

“She did?” Laxus’s face was impenetrable. 

“Yes, she did. After you shoved away the medication that can stabilize your condition and told her you could just “deal with the consequences”, she thought I was the only person on Earthland who could talk some goddamn sense into you,”

The silence sat between them. Freed thought about continuing to rage at Laxus. But he was too tired to be truly mad. He was upset with Laxus, sure, but what he mostly felt was fear. 

“Laxus, please,” Freed’s voice broke, as he continued. “The Thunder Legion can’t stand by and watch you suffer because of your pride,”

Laxus took it all in. Freed was standing in front of him, making himself more vulnerable than he’d ever seen the rune mage before. For so long, Laxus would have scorned such a display of weakness. Ivan had taught him as much. Don’t rely on others or medication to supplement yourself if you’re weak. Pain is your body’s way of showing you that you need to become stronger. Embrace it as your punishment for not being able to rely on yourself. 

But the years had changed him--his found family had changed him. He had realized his father was wrong. He realized how brave Freed was in confronting him about his fears, and he needed to show that same bravery in return. 

“She said that once I start taking them, I would have to take them for the rest of my life,” Laxus said, so low and deep that Freed could barely hear him. “That the side effects could dull my senses, lessen my stamina, make me live in a fog.” He clenched his hands. “And even then, they wouldn’t be a cure. Just a way of delaying the inevitable,” 

“Don’t say “the inevitable,” Freed cut in with a frantic whisper. “We’re going to fight this,” He reached out for Laxus’s fists without hesitation, wrapping his hands around the dragon slayers. Freed never felt as small as when he saw his hands being dwarfed by Laxus’s, but it made him feel safe, because he knew those hands would never cease in protecting the ones they cared about. 

“We will never stop searching for a way to save you.” 

He knew there were things that Laxus was scared of. Any dragon slayer feared the possibility of losing the super-heightened senses that they had become accustomed to. He knew his comrade was afraid of being weak, being seen as someone who couldn’t defend himself and others. He knew he was afraid of losing his independence.

‘Whatever happens, we’ll stand behind you. We’ll be your strength, your eyes, your ears, whatever you need,”

“You keep saying we...why would you all do this for me?” Laxus asked, opening his fists to grasp Freed’s hands. 

“Isn’t it obvious?” Freed smiled. “We--” the words froze in his throat. He was about to say ‘we love you’ as he always did, but there was no we here in the infirmary. It was just him and Laxus. 

This wasn’t a conversation he had had with Bickslow or Evergreen, but his own heart, spoken aloud. 

This sparked a realization.

When, and for how long had these declarations of love to Laxus been less about the Thunder Legion, and more about his own feelings? 

It had been infinitely easier to vocalize how much he cared about Laxus through the lens of his role as Captain, than to face the emotions he had buried deep within himself. It was easier to pretend that the level of devotion he felt was on the same level as his comrades, and not something ardent and all-encompassing. 

But now, after everything that had happened, knowing how short and precious life--particularly Laxus’s life--could be, the seal on his long-forgotten emotions had broken, and they were bubbling to the top. 

“We?” Laxus prompted, rubbing small unhurried circles into Freed’s palms. When did Laxus become this gentle, this patient? It made the rune mage feel weak in his knees. 

“We-” he tried again, but the words wouldn’t come out. Freed sighed deeply. It was time to be honest with himself and Laxus.

“ **I** love you, Laxus,” Freed said at last, eyes glistening with tears. “I’m the one who can’t see you suffer this way. I want to protect you, and be by your side because I love you, and I can’t lose you. Not like this,”

Laxus’s face was softer than Freed had ever seen it. “I love you too,” he replied, and with a version of his signature smirk added. “And I think  _ we’ve _ been waiting to hear that from you for a long time,” 

“That better just be the royal ‘we’” Freed sniffed.

Laxus didn’t respond, but instead brought his hands to Freed’s cheeks, brushing away the tears at the corners of Freed’s eyes before cupping his face. 

“Can I?” He asked, and Freed nodded, eyes dilated.

Laxus leaned in to connect their lips...

...when they were interrupted by an ill-timed,

“Finally!”

“Goddamn it, Bickslow! Be quiet!”

The two whipped their heads around, and Laxus was unceremoniously whacked by Freed’s ponytail. 

“How long have you been here?” Freed questioned, a dangerous edge in his voice. 

“Not long. Bickslow forgot his wallet and we didn’t realize until just now” Evergreen admitted, and Freed and Laxus sighed in relief. Laxus should get to tell the secret of his health on his own terms from now on. 

“You were so wrapped up in each other you didn’t see us!” Bickslow teased. “So lovey dovey,” his babies chanted, swarming around an annoyed Freed and Laxus. 

“That’s enough Bicks,” Laxus swatted away the babies. He gave Freed a glance that implied they’d finish this later. “If you got your wallet, we should all head back now,”

Freed took a deep breath. His heart was still beating fast, but he knew when to switch gears. “We might as well,” 

He resigned himself to heading back with the others in silence when he felt an arm wrapped around his waist.

“It’s good to be able to be together like this,” Evergreen remarked. 

A forearm was draped over Laxus’s shoulders. 

“Together forever, am I right guys?” Bickslow added.

Freed and Laxus exchanged a look. They’d have to figure this whole, being in love with each other while being on the same team thing out eventually, but for now it was enough to wrap their arms around each other under the guise of friendly camaraderie. 

And with that, the group all walked back to the guild to face another day—together. 


End file.
